Brick Bradford
's Brick Bradford (June 21, 1942)]] Brick Bradford was a science fiction comic strip created by writer William Ritt, a journalist based in Cleveland, and artist Clarence Gray. It was first distributed in 1933 by Central Press Association, a subsidiary of King Features Syndicate. Ritt grew tired of Brick Bradford in the mid-1940s, and by 1948 he had turned over first the daily and then the Sunday to Gray, who did the strip by himself until his health problems increased. In 1952, Paul Norris (who had been working on King's Jungle Jim) took over the daily. When Gray died in 1956, Norris took over the Sunday strip. Norris retired in 1987, and the strip was retired as well with the daily ending April 25, 1987 and the Sundays two weeks later. Characters and story Brick Bradford was a Space opera/adventure story, resembling such comics as Skyroads, Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon with its tales of dinosaurs, intergalactic villains, robots and subatomic worlds. By 1935, Brick Bradford's popularity had greatly increased, and it arrived in the Sunday comics sections of major newspapers in 1933, followed by a weekend edition that began November 24, 1934. In France, he was known as "Luc Bradefer" (Luke Ironarm), and was published in many newspapers. On April 20, 1935, the strip added a time machine, the Time Top, that traveled to both past and future, presaging Doc Wonmug's device in Alley Oop four years later. Daily strips by Clarence Gray and William Ritt D001 In the City Beneath the Sea (08/21/1933 – 06/30/1934) 270 strips D002 With Brocco the Buccaneer (07/02/1934 – 05/18/1935) 276 strips D003 On the Isles Beyond the Ice (05/20/1935 – 04/11/1936) 282 strips D004 Brick Bradford and the Lord of Doom (04/13/1936 – 02/06/1937) 258 strips D005 Adrift in an Atom Voyage in a Coin (02/08/1937 – 01/08/1938) 288 strips D006 In the Fortress of Fear (01/10/1938 – 02/11/1939) 342 strips D007 Brick Bradford and the Metal Monster (02/13/1939 – 03/16/1940) 342 strips D008 Brick Bradford Seeks the Diamond Doll (03/18/1940 – 12/28/1940) 249 strips D009 On the Throne of Titania (12/30/1940 – 06/12/1943) 765 strips D010 Beyond the Crystal Door (06/14/1943 – 10/21/1944) 462 strips D011 The Queen of the Night (10/28/1944 – 06/01/1946) 468 strips D012 The Witch Doctor of Wanchi (06/03/1946 – 12/07/1946) 162 strips D013 The Strange Case of Captain Bold (12/09/1946 – 07/19/1947) 192 strips D014 Lost Train In Tunnel #10 (07/21/1947 – 05/01/1948) 246 strips D015 The Prophet of Thorn (05/03/1948 – 03/19/1949) 276 strips D016 The Colossal Fossil (03/21/1949 – 07/02/1949) 90 strips D017 The Island of the Eye (07/04/1949 – 12/24/1949) 150 strips D018 Smokeballs (12/26/1949 – 03/25/1950) 60 strips D019 The Howling Face (03/27/1950 – 06/17/1950) 90 strips D020 The Legacy of Low Lake (06/19/1950 – 10/07/1950) 96 strips D021 Detour of Doubt (10/09/1950 – 12/30/1950) 60 strips D022 Frame-Up (01/01/1951 – 03/31/1951) 90 strips D023 Mesa Macabre (04/02/1951 – 08/11/1951) 114 strips D024 Moon Maiden (08/13/1951 – 10/06/1951) 48 strips D025 Shadow in the Sky (10/08/1951 – 02/16/1952) 102 strips D026 The Six Seeds of Sibed (02/18/1952 – 05/10/1952) 96 strips D027 Mr. Distance (05/12/1952 – 10/18/1952) 138 strips Daily strips by Paul Norris D028 Condor Corridor (10/20/1952 – 04/04/1953) 144 strips D029 Operation Back Burner (04/06/1953 – 07/04/1953) 78 strips D030 Oroto Otoro (07/06/1953 – 10/24/1953) 96 strips D031 Poet and Present (10/26/1953 – 01/02/1954) 60 strips D032 Deadline Dilemma (01/04/1954 – 05/01/1954) 102 strips D033 Frogman’s Folly (05/03/1954 – 07/24/1954) 72 strips D034 Poet’s Revenge (07/26/1954 – 10/09/1954) 66 strips D035 Honey’n’Holly (10/11/1954 – 12/04/1954) 48 strips D036 Temperamental Tessie (12/06/1954 – 01/29/1955) 48 strips D037 Found and Profound (01/31/1955 – 04/30/1955) 78 strips D038 Bauble’s Belle (05/02/1955 – 06/25/1955) 48 strips D039 Silent Partners! (06/27/1955 – 10/08/1955) 90 strips D040 The Case of the Vicious Vines (10/10/1955 – 12/31/1955) 72 strips D041 Stowaway (01/02/1956 – 05/12/1956) 114 strips D042 Something Borrowed, Something Blue (05/14/1956 – 08/04/1956) 72 strips D043 Astral Assignment (08/06/1956 – 10/20/1956) 66 strips D044 Return of Paul Bunyan (10/22/1956 – 01/26/1957) 84 strips D045 The Search For Kris Kreg (01/28/1957 – 04/20/1957) 72 strips D046 Time-Top Trials! (04/22/1957 – 09/14/1957) 126 strips D047 Eye of the Needle (09/16/1957 – 11/16/1957) 54 strips D048 Return to Pura (11/18/1957 – 02/22/1958) 84 strips D049 Deep Danger (02/24/1958 – 06/07/1958) 90 strips D050 X-S-S-16 (06/09/1958 – 09/13/1958) 84 strips D051 The Search for Doctor Eastland (09/15/1958 – 01/24/1959) 114 strips D052 Man on the Moon (01/26/1959 – 06/06/1959) 114 strips D053 The Sound (06/08/1959 – 09/19/1959) 90 strips D054 Mission to Maga (09/21/1959 – 01/23/1960) 108 strips D055 Steppingstone (01/25/1960 – 09/24/1960) 210 strips D056 Tattletale Tiros (09/26/1960 – 03/04/1961) 138 strips D057 Silent Search (03/06/1961 – 10/07/1961) 186 strips D058 Bradford’s Bondage (10/09/1961 – 11/25/1961) 42 strips D059 Botanical Warfare (11/27/1961 – 04/28/1962) 132 strips D060 Adventure in the Aqua-Mole (04/30/1962 – 09/15/1962) 120 strips D061 The Proxima Centauri Run (09/17/1962 – 02/16/1963) 132 strips D062 Lady Loot (02/18/1963 – 05/18/1963) 78 strips D063 Adventure in Andromeda (05/20/1963 – 10/19/1963) 132 strips D064 Operation Chaos (10/21/1963 – 12/28/1963) 60 strips D065 Return to Panola (12/30/1963 – 05/16/1964) 120 strips D066 Cold Caper (05/18/1964 – 10/24/1964) 138 strips D067 Journey to Procyon (10/26/1964 – 01/23/1965) 78 strips D068 Saturn Sadie’s Side Trip (01/25/1965 – 07/03/1965) 138 strips D069 Silverslinger (07/05/1965 – 10/23/1965) 96 strips D070 The Treasure of Toolee Tooee (10/25/1965 – 04/30/1966) 162 strips D071 The Agrarians (05/02/1966 – 08/27/1966) 102 strips D072 Strange Sargasso (08/29/1966 – 03/25/1967) 180 strips D073 Search for a Samaritan (03/27/1967 – 08/12/1967) 120 strips D074 Destination Laza (08/14/1967 – 09/23/1967) 36 strips D075 The Radiant Ruins of Ramdan (09/25/1967 – 05/04/1968) 192 strips D076 Ardun’s Ark (05/06/1968 – 07/06/1968) 54 strips D077 Flight of Fantasy (07/08/1968 – 09/28/1968) 72 strips D078 Solitary Journey (09/30/1968 – 12/07/1968) 60 strips D079 Gathering on Gwaymus (12/09/1968 – 03/01/1969) 72 strips D080 The Evil Enkar (03/03/1969 – 05/03/1969) 54 strips D081 Galileo’s Ghost (05/05/1969 – 07/26/1969) 72 strips D082 Revenge (07/28/1969 – 10/04/1969) 60 strips D083 Tabby’s Tantrums (10/06/1969 – 12/13/1969) 60 strips D084 Return to Gwaymus (12/15/1969 – 03/14/1970) 78 strips D085 The Treasure of Tarabagara (03/16/1970 – 05/23/1970) 60 strips D086 Purple Pintar (05/25/1970 – 08/29/1970) 84 strips D087 Search for Urubu (08/31/1970 – 10/31/1970) 54 strips D088 Time and Trouble (11/02/1970 – 01/30/1971) 78 strips D089 Tenacious Tempo (02/01/1971 – 04/03/1971) 54 strips D090 Hoppy’s Re-Migration (04/05/1971 – 06/12/1971) 60 strips D091 Tardy Tempo (06/14/1971 – 09/04/1971) 72 strips D092 Double Trouble (09/06/1971 – 11/13/1971) 60 strips D093 Stranded (11/15/1971 – 01/08/1972) 48 strips D094 Phoenix Fever (01/10/1972 – 04/08/1972) 78 strips D095 Going Home (04/10/1972 – 07/08/1972) 78 strips D096 Then There Were Two (07/10/1972 – 09/23/1972) 66 strips D097 Trail of the Tonabera (09/25/1972 – 12/02/1972) 60 strips D098 Polar Poltergeist (12/04/1972 – 03/03/1973) 78 strips D099 Long Way Home (03/05/1973 – 06/23/1973) 96 strips D100 A Change of Plans (06/25/1973 – 10/20/1973) 102 strips D101 A Flight of Ghosts (10/22/1973 – 12/08/1973) 42 strips D102 Old Masters (12/10/1973 – 02/16/1974) 60 strips D103 Cygnus Two (02/18/1974 – 04/27/1974) 60 strips D104 Lore (04/29/1974 – 08/03/1974) 84 strips D105 Search for Succor (08/05/1974 – 10/05/1974) 54 strips D106 Rescue (10/07/1974 – 12/28/1974) 72 strips D107 Stronger Force (12/30/1974 – 02/22/1975) 48 strips D108 Holiday on Hokuku! (02/24/1975 – 05/31/1975) 84 strips D109 Sea of Secrets (06/02/1975 – 08/16/1975) 66 strips D110 The Folly of Petro Leur (08/18/1975 – 12/27/1975) 114 strips D111 Lore Revisited (12/29/1975 – 02/14/1976) 42 strips D112 Beyond Bucala (02/16/1976 – 05/29/1976) 90 strips D113 The Way Home (05/31/1976 – 10/09/1976) 114 strips D114 Eye Spy (10/11/1976 – 01/29/1977) 96 strips D115 Rescue (01/31/1977 – 04/23/1977) 72 strips D116 Dead End (04/25/1977 – 08/27/1977) 108 strips D117 Lost (08/29/1977 – 01/07/1978) 114 strips D118 Dolphins of Dahgara (01/09/1978 – 04/22/1978) 90 strips D119 Wild Wet World (04/24/1978 – 08/05/1978) 90 strips D120 Space Trace (08/07/1978 – 12/16/1978) 114 strips D121 Emigres’ Reversion (12/18/1978 – 04/07/1979) 96 strips D122 Web of Life (04/09/1979 – 09/22/1979) 144 strips D123 Two, Too Many (09/24/1979 – 01/19/1980) 102 strips D124 Runagate (01/21/1980 – 06/07/1980) 120 strips D125 Loose Ends (06/09/1980 – 10/25/1980) 120 strips D126 Iona Incursion (10/27/1980 – 01/17/1981) 72 strips D127 Solar Power Play (01/19/1981 – 04/18/1981) 78 strips D128 Time Trials (04/20/1981 – 07/25/1981) 84 strips D129 The Realm of Ram (07/27/1981 – 01/02/1982) 138 strips D130 Jeopardy (01/04/1982 – 04/17/1982) 90 strips D131 Search for Saturn Sadie (04/19/1982 – 09/18/1982) 132 strips D132 Prekarius Plot (09/20/1982 – 04/16/1983) 180 strips D133 Topaz (04/18/1983 – 09/17/1983) 132 strips D134 Beyond the Limits (09/19/1983 – 12/31/1983) 90 strips D135 The Penny Black (01/02/1984 – 05/19/1984) 120 strips D136 Burawa Bondage (05/21/1984 – 08/03/1985) 378 strips D137 Aggression at Agwon (08/05/1985 – 12/21/1985) 120 strips D138 The Save of Saturn Sadie (12/23/1985 – 04/26/1986) 108 strips D139 What Next? (04/28/1986 – 07/26/1986) 78 strips D140 Mind Over Matter (07/28/1986 – 12/20/1986) 126 strips D141 Flight Tests (12/22/1986 – 04/25/1987) 108 strips Reprints Brick Bradford was reprinted in comic-book form as King Features began to expand into that genre, including King Comics (published by David McKay Publications), starting from April 1936 (along with Barney Google, Henry, Popeye and Bringing Up Father among others), as well as in Ace Comics from 1947 to 1949. As the old comics were reprinted, a new series starring Brick was published by Standard Comics, but the series was soon canceled after 4 issues. Brick Bradford reappeared by 1966 in original comics published by King Comics, in The Phantom #26, 28 and Mandrake the Magician #5-7,9,10. ''Brick Bradford'' in other media The strip also had a movie based on it, as well as a book series produced by Whitman Publishing's Big Little Books. Brick Bradford, a 12-chapter serial starring Kane Richmond, was produced by Columbia Pictures in 1947. Brick Bradford was referenced in The Dick Van Dyke Show episode Uhny Uftz when Rob believe he has seen a Flying saucer with the "Brick Bradford insignia" on it, which he describes as being like a lightning bolt. Time Top sculpture Before his death from cancer, Canadian artist Jerry Pethick (1935 – 2003) conceived a large bronze sculpture in the shape of the Time Top as depicted in later installments of Brick Bradford. In 2004, his widow, Margaret Pethick, took over the project. It was submerged in sea water for two years while connected to an electrical source to accelerate barnacle and mineral accretion on its surface for an aged look. In August 2006, the sculpture was installed on its permanent site at False Creek, Vancouver, British Columbia.Arts: "Time capsule"http://app.vancouver.ca/PublicArt_NET/ArtworkDetails.aspx?ArtworkID=412 Time Top sculpture description and photo at City of Vancouver site References Sources ' Brick Bradford (January 27, 1955)]] *Strickler, Dave. Syndicated Comic Strips and Artists, 1924-1995: The Complete Index. Cambria, CA: Comics Access, 1995. ISBN 0-9700077-0-1. External links *[http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/Home/4/1/73/1023?articleID=118720 Scoop: Brick Bradford] *[http://www.toonopedia.com/brick.htm Toonopedia: Brick Bradford] *James Lileks *[http://www.ilovecomixarchive.com/b/brick-bradford I Love Comix Archive: Brick Bradford] '' *[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brickbradford/ Yahoo Group: Brick Bradford] (registration required) Category:American comic strips Category:Comic strips started in the 1930s Category:Time travel comics Category:Comic strips ended in the 1980s